1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a zinc recharging device for negative electrodes that can be used in an electrochemical generator of the type in which the electrodes are immersed in an electrolyte consisting of an alkaline medium charged with zinc salts, and a device for recharging by a direct current for its use and its application particularly to the zinc-nickel batteries.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Zinc can constitute the negative electrode of reversible Zn-Ni or Zn-Air storage batteries operating in a concentrated alkaline medium. However, one of the principal difficulties encountered in the development of these generators is due to the virtual impossibility of subjecting the zinc electrode to a large number of charge and discharge cycles.
Actually, the cycling of a plate-shaped zinc electrode causes the formation of dendrites which short-circuit the electrodes and a change in shape of the electrode which shows itself in a thinning down for one part and the increase of its thickening for another.
Various processes have been offered to eliminate these drawbacks. One of the means making it possible to obtain a number of high charge-discharge cycles, on the order of 500 for example, consists in vibrating the electrodes. Unfortunately, this system proves to be unwieldy, costly and a consumer of energy.